Bernie Klippenstein began his career as a childcare worker and mental health therapist and has been a family therapist and clinician with New Directions for 30 years. He has offered ongoing training for front line workers and child welfare workers for the duration of his time at New Directions. His clinical work with families is rooted in an eclectic use of a number of family therapy models. He approaches training with the view that much of the clinical work that happens in social work agencies occurs In contexts that create unique challenges in working therapeutically. He works to bridge therapeutic principles with clinical opportunities that present themselves in various social work roles, such as case management.